Carton for packaging ice cream or like frozen initially liquid or semi-solid material

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a rectangular or box-shaped carton suitable for packaging semi-solid material, such as ice cream, having front and end lips which are inturned, respectively, from the top edges of the front and end walls of said main body and which underlie the cover and extend all the way across said front edge and at least most of the way back along said end edges, and various refinements thereof.

FIELD OF INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

The invention relates to a box-shaped carton for packaging ice cream orlike frozen, initially liquid or semi-solid material and intermediatesformed in the manufacture thereof.

In my co-pending application Ser. No. 158,167 filed June 10, 1980 and myU.S. Pat. No. 4,239,115 issued on the parent thereof on Dec. 16, 1980,there is disclosed an improved carton for packaging ice cream and likefrozen, initially liquid or semi-solid material, which had substantialleakproof characteristics. It is an object of this invention to providean improved carton of this type which has all the advantages describedin said application and U.S. Patent plus the further advantage that itis still more leakproof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a box-shaped carton or rectangular carton forpackaging ice cream or like frozen, initially liquid or semi-solidmaterial, which comprises a box-shaped main body, a cover for said mainbody which is hinged to the rear edge thereof, lie flat on the top edgesthereof, and has flaps depending from its front and end edges which arefastened together to form a skirt overlying the front and end walls ofsaid box-shaped body in flat, face-to-face contact, and front and endlips which are inturned, respectively, from the top edges of the frontand end walls of said main body and which underlie said cover and extendall the way across said front edge and at least most of the way backalong said end edges, and is particularly directed to a carton blankcomposed of a single sheet of carton stock having cut portions and foldlines so that said sheet can be folded into an open-ended rectangular orbox-shaped carton for receiving the packaging material having a closedend and an opened end which on closure forms a completely closedrectangular box-shaped carton package.

The invention further comprises one or more additional features in whicheach of the end walls of said main body is formed from intact,overlapping, front, rear, and bottom end-wall-forming flaps whichproject respectively from the end edges of the front, rear, and bottomwalls of said main body, said front and rear end-wall-forming flapsforming rectangular inner end walls that completely fill and determinethe shape of the ends of said main body, said front end-wall-formingflaps having said end lips inturned from the top edges thereof, and saidfront wall having said front lip inturned from the top edge thereof, inwhich said front lip is articulated to said front wall on a skip-cut orhalf-cut fold line aligned in the grain of the carton stock and in whichthe parts of said fold line between the cut portions thereof are pressscored, and in which each said end lip is articulated to the top edge ofsaid front end-wall-forming flap on a semi-cut-scored fold line alignedin the grain of the carton stock.

The invention also contemplates one or more additional features, andwhich adjacent ends of said front and end lips have complementary shapesso that they abut each other in the erected carton and form a sealedcorner or in which said front lip is square cut on lines displacedinwardly of the fold lines of the front end-wall-forming flap a distancesubstantially equal to the thickness of the carton stock and the endlips are square cut outwardly of the fold lines of the frontend-wall-forming flaps a distance substantially equal to the effectivewidth of said front lip, preferably with the fold line of said front lipbeing displaced below the plane of the top edges of said main body sothat said front lip has a small rise from its fold line to its edge, theeffective width thereof being its projection on said plane. In thelatter construction, the ends of said front lip substantially abut thefront end-wall-forming flaps and the inner edge thereof is substantiallycoincident with the inner edges of said end lips.

In a preferred form of the invention the end corner flaps are providedwith a tear-out tab which is formed as a lateral of the tuck-in tab andin the erected carton, is adhered to the portion of the bottomend-wall-forming flap which overlies it. Advantageously, this tear-outtab is connected to said end cover flap by a tear line which, in theerected container, is coincident with the top edge of the bottomend-wall-forming flap. It is also of advantage to have the tear-lineformed a a skip-cut or half-cut line having a cut at the end thereof atthe end of the cover flap and an intact portion at the other endthereof, such intact portion forming a bridge between the tear-out taband the tuck-in tab.

Advantageously, there may also be included one or more features in whicheach of said rear end-wall-forming flaps has its top edge cut down adistance at least equal to the thickness of said carton stock and alength sufficient to accommodate the end lip which overlies it when itunderlies the complementary, front end-wall-forming flap, in which eachof said rear end-wall-forming flaps has an inturned lip which forms anextension of the inturned lip on the complementary, frontend-wall-forming flap and in which the inturned lips on thecomplementary front and rear end-wall-forming flaps have complementarilycut ends which abut in the closed ends, and in which the top edge ofeach of the front end-wall-forming flaps and the inturned lip thereonextends substantially all the way across the closed ends of said mainbody and, preferably, in which each front end-wall-forming flap has itsfree end cut away somewhat below the top edge thereof to expose theunderlying rear end-wall-forming flap sufficiently for the applicationof glue thereto, whereby the bottom end-wall-forming flap can be gluedto the rear end-wall-forming flap adjacent its fold line and to thefront end-wall-forming flap adjacent its fold line. Broadly speaking, itis advantageously to provide that at least a portion of each of the rearend-wall-forming flaps be exposed, no matter which end-wall-forming flapoverlaps the other, to provide a glue area for affixing thecomplementary bottom end-wall-forming flaps thereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a carbon blank;

FIG. 2 is a detail view of a modified form of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a collapsed carton tube formed of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the opened-up tube of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a partial view of FIG. 6 showing the front and rear endwall-forming flaps folded in;

FIG. 7 is a like view showing the end cover flap folded in, remainingflaps folded out, hot-melt glue strips applied, and stylized applicatorstherefor;

FIG. 8 is a like view in which the remaining flaps are folded into placeto form the closed end of the carton tube;

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the carbon tube in position to be filled;

FIG. 10 is a partial view of the filled carton tube with the rear andwall-forming flaps folded in over the contents;

FIG. 11 is a partial view showing the front end wall-forming flap foldedin;

FIG. 12 is an isometric view showing additionally the end cover flapfolded in and the bottom end-wall-forming flap and the glue tab foldedout, together with glue strips of hot-melt glue applied, as in FIG. 7;

FIG. 13 is an isometric view looking toward the cover and front panelshowing the finished package in which the folded-out flaps of FIG. 12have been folded over into contact with the glue strips;

FIG. 14 is another isometric view of the finished package of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a like isometric view showing the cover raised;

FIG. 16 is a detail view of a portion of the end wall of FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is a plan view illustrating how the carton blanks of FIG. 1 arecut and scored from stock sheet material;

FIG. 18 is a plan view of a modified carton blank;

FIG. 19 is a plan view of another modified carton blank showing how thisblank is cut and scored from stock sheet material;

FIG. 20 is an isometric view of a partial section taken along line20--20 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 21 is an isometric view of a partial section taken along line21--21 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 22 is an isometric view of a partial section taken along line22--22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 23 is a partial section corresponding to FIG. 20 with lip 22 foldedin.

FIG. 24 is a partial section taken along line 24--24 of FIG. 16.

FIG. 25 is a partial section taken along line 25--25 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 26 is a partial view of a modified form.

FIG. 27 is a partial view showing a detail of FIG. 17.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a carton blank 10having flap 12, panels 14, 16, 18, and 20 and lip 22, articulated inthat order by parallel fold lines 12a, 14a, 16a, 18a, and 20a. The panel14, which is the cover-forming panel has articulated thereto front coverflap 12 which has glue panel 24 attached thereto by tear strip 26.

Extending laterally from the panels 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20, are gluetabs 28, end-forming flaps 30, 32, 34, and 36 which are articulated withthe panels by means of the vertical fold lines 30a, 33a, 34a, and 36anormal to the parallel fold line.

The flaps 30 are end-cover flaps. Flaps 32, which extend laterally fromthe rear panel 16, are rear end-wall-forming flaps. Flaps 34, whichextend laterally from the bottom panel 18, are bottom end-wall-formingflaps. And flaps 36, which extend laterally from the front panel 4, arefront end-wall-forming flaps.

Projecting laterally from the front cover flap 12 are glue-tabs 28,which are articulated therewith by vertical fold lines 12a. The verticalfold lines 30a, 32a, 34a, and 36a are aligned in an essentially commonvertical fold line. The fold lines 28a, however, are displaced laterallywith respect to the other vertical fold lines, so that the distancebetween the fold lines 28c is greater than the distance between the foldlines 30a such that, in the erected carton, the glue-tabs 28 overlie theend-cover flaps 30.

In FIG. 2, the tear strip 26 is omitted and a frangible glue 38 isapplied to the glue panel 24 so that the front cover flaps 12 can bereadily broken away from the front panels 20.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, the glue panel 24 is glued to the front panel 20, toform a collapsed tube, which can be opened up into the tube shown inFIG. 5.

The end-cover flaps 30 are provided with tuck-in tabs 30b having roundedends 66a and 66b. These tabs extend over the greater portion of theend-cover flaps 30, but are inset from the ends thereof as shown at 30afor a purpose which will become apparent in the description of theassembly of the carton.

Also, for purposes which will become apparent in the description of theassembly of the carton, the front end-wall-forming flaps 36 have lips 40articulated thereto by fold lines 40a aligned or substantially alignedwith the fold line 20a. These fold lines are so located that when thelips are folded in, the top faces are substantially in the plane of thetop edges of the front and end walls so that in the erected carton thelips 40 and optionally the lip 22, underlie the cover panel insubstantially flap surface-to-surface contact. Also, they are aligned inthe grain of the carton stock, as are score lines 12a, 14a, 16a, and18a. For this purpose, it is sometimes advantageous to have fold lines40a displaced a small increment below the top of the carton in order toinsure that the cover panel will be flat against the lips 40.

The fold lines are formed in a manner already well known in the art.However, it is an advantage if the fold lines separating the panels fromeach other and from the flaps be press-scored or creased fold lines, ifthe fold lines 40b be half- or semi-cut-scored fold lines, and if thefold lines 20a be a skip-cut press-scored or creased fold line. It is ofa special advantage to have the cut-scored fold lines, particularly thesemi- or half-cut-scored fold lines 40b aligned in the grain of thecarton stock since the cuts are then not cross-grain cuts.

The inner ends of the lips 40 and outer ends of lip 22 are cut oncomplementary angles, which may be 90 degrees, as shown at 42 in FIG. 1,or 45 degrees, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 26. In any case, they are cut sothat in the erected carton, an edge of one lip abuts or is very close toan edge of the adjacent lip. To this end, the lip 22, advantageously, issquare-cut in, as shown at 43, a distance in from fold line 36asubstantially equal to the thickness of the carton stock so that thesquare-cut ends will substantially abut the flaps 36 in the erectedcarton. Similarly, the lips 40 are square-cut back, as shown at 41, adistance substantially equal to the width of the lip 22 so that in theerected carton the square-cut ends 41 substantially abut the edge of lip22. Also, they may be cut on 30 and 60 degree angles or likecomplementary angles, if desired, provided, the lip cut with the samllangle is also square-cut along a line which is coincident with the edgeof the other lip and intersects the angle-cut as shown at 341a and b ofFIG. 26. The outer ends of lips 40 can be beveled, or they can be leftsquare, i.e., in alignment with the outer edges of flaps 36, as shown inFIG. 1. Optionally, lips 46 can be provided on flaps 32 and articulatedtherefrom by fold lines 46a, also advantageously half- orsemi-cut-scored fold lines, in alignment with, or slightly below, foldline 14a. The outer ends of the lips 46 are cut on angles, for example,square-cut, as shown at 48, and are complementary to the ends 44 of lips40. The flips are separated from the flaps 30 by cut lines 50 whichangle down from the top edge 54 to point 52 and then in an "s" curve tothe juncture of the fold lines 14a and 46a. It will be understood,however, that the lips 46 are optional and can be omitted, if desired,as shown in FIGS. 17 and 19. In such case, however, the shoulder 64a isretained.

Also the modification shown in FIG. 17 can be further modified so thatthe side cover flap 30 is provided with a tear-out tab 31 located sothat in the closed end, it overlaps the rear end-wall-forming flap 32and underlies the bottom end-wall-forming flap 34 with the tear line 31in position in the closed end to coincide with the top edge of thebottom end-wall-forming flap 34. Details of the construction of thistear-tab 31 are shown in FIG. 27.

It will be observed that in FIG. 3, the lip 22 underlies the cover panel14 and the lips 40 underlie the ends of the end cover flaps 30.Consequently, when the flattened tube is opened up to the position shownin FIG. 5, lip 22 will be bent inwardly to underlie the cover panel 14and the lips 40 will be bent in to underlie the end cover flap 30, asshown in FIG. 5. The skip-cut press-scored fold line 20a and the half-or semi-cut-scored fold lines 40a give the proper combination offreeness and resistance in these infolding actions. It will beunderstood, however, that in the broad aspects of the invention, othertypes of fold lines can be substituted for the skip-cut press-scoredfold line 20a and the semi- or half-cut-scored fold lines 40a.

In assembling the carton, the rear end-wall-forming flap 32, with thelip 46, if used, folded in at right angles, is folded in first so thatlip 46 underlies the cover panel 14, and then the front end-wall-formingflap 36, with lip 40 bent in at right angles, is folded in so that itoverlies flap 32 and lip 40 underlies cover panel 14. Flap 32,advantageously, is cut down at 64 a distance equal, or substantiallyequal, to the thickness of the carton stock to accommodate lip 40 whichthen abuts the shoulder 64a of the uncut portion of flap 32, or lip 46if it is present and, as may be best visualized in connection with FIG.16, keeps the panels 32 and 36 from telescoping and thus prevents anyinward movement of the top of the front panel 20. As best seen in FIG.14, the edge 47 of lips 46 and the edge 44 of lip 40 are cut oncomplementary angles so that they are capable of substantial abutment inthe finished carton. Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the end-cover flap 30 isfolded down with the bottom end-wall-forming flap 34 and the glue-tab 28folded back out of the way, and hot-melt glue applicators. A and B applyhot-melt glue strips 56, 58, and 60. The hot-melt applicator B firstcontacts the end-cover flap 30 and deposits the glue strip 56 and thencontinues on to deposit the glue strip 58. Concurrently, as the gluestrip 58 is applied, the glue strip 60 is applied by glue applicator A.The applicators A and B are programmed so that the glue strip 56 isapplied first and then the glue strips 58 and 60 applied simultaneously.If desired, the glue strip 56 can be applied independently of theapplication of glue strip 58. Also, if desired, the glue strips can beapplied in the reverse order, that is, from the bottom panel upward.Either the glue applicators A and B can be mounted to move over thecarton tube of FIG. 7, or the glue applicators A and B can be stationaryand the partially assembled tube of FIG. 7 passed under or over or, inany event, passed into contact with the glue applicators A and B.

If the tear-out tab 31 is used, hot-melt glue is applied so that itcovers the tear-out tab 31 up. If desired, the tear-out tab 31 can firstbe glued down to the rear end-wall-forming flap 32 and the glue strip 60run over the glued down tear-out tab 31 from, or to, the tear-line 31a,depending on whether the application of the hot-melt begins, or ends, atthe tear-line 31a.

It is to be understood that the term "hot-melt glue" is to include anyadhesive commonly applied by the hot application method.

Advantageously, the partially assembled tube cartons can be moved alonga continuous belt (not shown), with the open end resting on the belt andthe end to be sealed, uppermost. In such case, it is desirable that themovement be in the direction of the folded-back flap 34, so that anytendency for the flaps 32 and 36 to be displaced, will be corrected bythe flap 30, which is folded down over the folded-in-flaps 32 and 36.

The dimensions of flaps 32 and 36 are such that when they are folded inthe position shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, they form a rectangular end wallcommensurate in area and shape with the area and shape of the end wallof the carton tube. Thus, when they are in the position shown in FIGS. 6and 7, or especially when the end cover flap 30 is folded down, as inFIG. 7, they hold the tube in its intended rectangular shape, especiallywhen, as described above, the flap 32 is cut down at 64 and lip 40 abutsshoulder 64a of the uncut portion of flap 32. This, coupled with thefact that the glue strips are applied adjacent the score lines betweenthese flaps and the front and rear panels, keep the carton tube rigidand provide support for the flaps so that the sealing of the ends can beeffected without a mandrel before the carton is filled.

The next step is to fold in the bottom end-wall-forming flap 34 and theglue-flap 28 into contact with the glue strips, as shown in FIG. 8.

It will be observed that the bottom end-wall-forming flap 34 and theend-cover flap 30 are proportioned so that the flap 34 covers thetuck-in tab 30b and the tear-out tab 31 and essentially abuts the inertportions 30c and the tear-line 31 if the center tab 31 is used, therebyforming the outer wall of the end of the carton.

It will be observed also, in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, that when the lips 22and 40 are in place under the cover panel 14, the lips abut to form asubstantially continuous inturned lip which extends all the way acrossthe end walls when the lip 46 is include and the complementarily cutedges 44 and 48 abut.

The partially assembled carton, with one end sealed and the other endopen, is passed under a filling station, as shown in FIG. 9, where asemi-solid material C at ambient temperature which, suitably, is icecream, sherbet, or the like, is introduced into the open-end tube untilit is filled to the level of the score lines. The rear end-wall-formingflap 32, with the lip 34 turned in at right angles, is then folded in,as shown in FIG. 10, followed by the folding in of the frontend-wall-forming flap 36, with lip 40 turned in at riht angles, as shownin FIG. 11, with lips 40 inserted between the material C and the coverpanel 14. The sealing process is then carried out, as shown in FIG. 12,in the same way that the other end was sealed, as shown in FIG. 7, toform a finished package, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. The raised ends 62projecting from the rear end-wall-forming flaps 32 are provided to coverthe cut-out portions 36c of the end cover flaps 36 and can be omitted,if the flaps 32 are wide enough.

The cutouts 30c, as best seen in FIG. 12, are inset just enough toaccommodate the glue strips 58 and 60.

The glue strips 58 and 60 extend down to the bottom of the front andrear end-wall-forming flaps 32 and 36 and, if desired partly onto theouter end-wall-forming flap 34 so that, when the flap 34 is folded up, aleakproof seal between the flaps 32, 34, and 36 is obtained.

The flap 34 and the portions of flap 30 left after the cutouts 30c areproportioned so that the outer ends of flaps 34 abut at 30c, as shown inFIG. 13.

By virtue of the fact that the glue-tabs 28 are on the outside of theend-cover flaps 30, the end-cover flaps 30 lie flat against the frontend-wall-forming flaps and enhance both the strength of the cover andthe leakproof character of the package. If the glue-flaps are foldedunder the end-cover flaps and glued to the underside thereof, they wouldplace a short layer of carton stock between the end-cover flaps and theend wall. Thus would separate the end cover flaps from the end walls andpromote leakage. In the invention, on the other hand, the glue-flapsoverlap the end cover flaps and are glued to the outside thereof, sothat the end cover flaps lie flat against the end walls. Thus, incooperation with the inturned lips 40, minimizes leakage because of theextended flat surface-to-surface contact between the cover and the endcover flaps and the end walls including lips 40. Thus, there is lesstendency for leakage to occur.

In a preferred form of the invention, is is desired to have the frontend-wall-forming flap overlie the rear end-wall-forming flap. It isdesirable in such case to have the top edge portion of the rearend-wall-forming flap cut down, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 at 64, adistance at least equal to the thickness of the carton stock and for alength equal to the overlap. This allows for the overlapping of the topedge of the rear-end-wall-forming flap 32 by the inturned lip 40 of thefront end-wall-forming flap 36. Lip 40 then abuts shoulder 64a of theuncut portion of flap 32 and prevents lateral relative displacement ofthe two flaps and the partial collapse of the front panel 20 whichotherwise would result from such displacement.

FIG. 17 illustrates how the carton blanks of the invention areparticularly adapted to high-speed production from a continuous sheet ofcarton stock and high-speed cutting and scoring machines. It will beobserved that the laterally-extending flaps are progressively wider, sothat when blanks are side by side in reverse order, the wider flaps ofone blank are opposite the narrower flaps of the other blank, and so on.Thus, the front end-wall-forming flaps 36 of one sheet are the longestand abut the side-cover flaps 30, which are the shortest, and havecut-out portions 36c complementary to the curved portions 66 of thetuck-in tabs 30b. Then, in between, the bottom end-wall-forming flaps 34of one sheet abut the rear end-wall-forming flaps 32 of the other sheet,the raised end portions 62 may abut each other or be spaced apart asshown and the other portions of the rear end-wall-forming flaps abut thebottom end-wall-forming flaps. The raised end portions 62 provide for agreater overlap of the front end-wall-forming flaps over the area ofcut-out 36c and can be extended if desired, until they abut each other.

As illustrated in the lower left-hand corner, the tear strip 26 has apull tab 26a formed by parallel cut-lines 27 adapted to be grasped toinitiate the tear. This tab projects slightly beyond the end edge 24a ofthe glue panel 24 so that it can be easily gripped and the outermostedge is substantially coincident with the score line 28a, leaving roomfor the glue tab 28 to extend to a point opposite the tab 26a.

In FIG. 18, there is shown a modification in which one or othe other ofboth of the front and rear end-wall-forming flaps is extended the fullwidth of the end wall, so that it occupies the full end of the cartontube, and thus overlies completely the contents of the tube. It is ofadvantage, however, that only one of these flaps be so extended, forexample, the front end-wall-forming flap 136 since, if the overlyingflap does not terminate short of the glue area, it will have to bejoined (glued) thereto by a separate glue line applied along the edge ofthe underlying flap adjacent to the panel to which it is attached.Otherwise, the bottom end-wall-forming flap 134 would be glued to thefree end of the overlapping front and rear end-wall-forming flap, sothat an effective seal would not be obtained without the extra glueline.

This objection can be obviated by cutting away ile portions 136d offlaps 136 shown in dotted lines which would otherwise overlie the rearof flap 134 where the glue strip 60 would be applied. This would leavethe flap 136 and the inturned lip intact all along the top edge andallow flap 136 to overlap flap 132. In such case, flaps 132advantageously are cut down at their top edges enough to accommodate theinturned lip 140. This, coupled with the glue-flaps 28 overlying the endcover flaps 130, make for continuous, flat, surface-to-surface contactbetween the end-cover flaps 130 and the front end-wall-forming flaps136, and continuous flat, surface-to-surface contact between theinturned lips 122 and 140 and the cover panel 114.

In this modification, the adjacent ends of lips 140 and 122 are cut oncomplementary 45 degree angles as shown at 142 with the apex of theangles aligned with fodl lines 136a.

In FIGS. 18, 19, and 26, the parts corresponding to the parts of FIG. 1,bear the same reference numerals, plus 100, 200, and 300, respectively.

In FIG. 19, there is illustrated a modification of FIGS. 1 and 18, inwhich the front end-wall-forming flaps 236 have cut-outs 236d which arecomplementary with portions of the tuck-in tabs 230b, the end cover flap230, and the glue tab 228, so that this modification, too, can be easilyformed in a continuous manner with high-speed cutting and scoringmachines without too much loss of stock. If desired, flaps 236 can becut away at 236b on the dotted lines to expose areas on flaps 232 forthe application of a glue strip corresponding to glue strip 60 so thatthe flap 232 can underlie the flap 236. This gives an end in which thebottom end-forming flap 234 is sealed in a leakproof seal along eachside edge of the end wall and in which the top edge of the front endwall forming flap 236 extends all, or substantially all, the way acrossthe end wall, as does the inturned lip 240. In the latter case, the flap132, advantageously, is cut down at 264 to accommodate lip 240 and toprovide an abuttment 264a for the end of lip 240 to abut. The combinedlength of the uncut portion of flap 232 and flap 236 are equal to thewidth of the cover panel 214, so that partial collapse of the frontpanel is obviated.

In FIGS. 20 through 25 are shown details of the type of scoring referredto herein. Thus, FIGS. 20 and 25 illustrate a press- or crease-score.FIGS. 21 and 24 illustrate a semi- or partial cut-score. And FIGS. 22and 23 illustrate a skip-cut press-score in which cut-scores alternatewith press scores.

In FIG. 26, there is shown a modification in which the corner betweenthe lip 22 and lip 40 is half way between the one disclosed in FIG. 1and the one disclosed in FIG. 18. As in the other two cases, the cutsare made to provide complementary angles so that in the assembledcarton, continuity between lips 22 and 40 is maintained.

The modifications shown in FIGS. 1 and 17 has score lines 20a which areoffset, relative to the top of the carton. In this construction, theends 43 of lip 22 abut the end-wall-forming flaps 36 and the free edgesof the front and side lips are coincident to effect a seal in theassembled carton to complete the seal.

Thus, the fold line 20a is slightly below the top of the carton,terminates short of the fold lines 36a, and its ends are connectedthereto by shortcuts which slope upwardly to the juncture of the topedge of the front end-wall-forming flap 36 and fold line 36a. Thisallows the lip 22 to slope upwardly and inwardly from the fold line 20ato its contact with the underside of cover 14. The extent of the rise oflip 22, that is, the extent to which the fold line 20a is placed belowthe plane of the top of the main body, is not significant as long as thewidth of lip 22 is the hypotenuse of a triangle, the long leg of which,i.e., the horizontal projection of the lip 22 (hypotenuse), issubstantially equal to the width of lip 40. Thus, in the assembledcarton, the square cut ends 43 of lip 22 will substantially abut thefront end-wall-forming flaps 36 and substantially abut the frontend-wall-forming flaps 36 and the edges of the inturned lips 40 willabut the edge of inturned lip 22, so that the inner edges of theinturned lip 22 and inturned lips 40 will present a substantiallycontinuous U-shaped edge in contact with the underside of the cover 14.

The same construction is used in the modification of FIG. 19.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 18, and 26, the fold lines 120c and320a should be in alignment with the fold lines 140a and 340a,respectively, because it is desirable, in such modifications, that thecut ends of the inturned lips abut from the inner edges thereof to thefold lines. In the modifications shown in FIGS. 1 and 19, however, thisis not necessary and it is possible, therefore, to take advantage of thedesirability of having the fold lines 20a and 220c displaced, asdescribed above and in my co-pending application supra.

If desired, the score line 40a can be similarly offset, as best seen inFIG. 17, or at 240a in FIG. 19. Ordinarily, however, this offset willnot be greater than needed to keep the top of the infolded lip 40 in theplane of the underside of the cover panel 14.

As shown in FIG. 27, the tear-line 31a is formed by a skip-cut linecomprised of a succession of cuts 33a and 33b. The cuts 33a coincidewith the end 30c of the end cover flap 30 and the cuts 33b with thecurved end 66b of that flap. The last cut 33a continues into the cut33b. The latter terminates short of the free edge to leave an intactportion 31b. The first cut 33a cuts through the edge, thus making for aclean tear.

From FIGS. 14 and 15, it can be seen that the carton blank of FIG. 1 orFIG. 17 can be folded into a carton which, in turn, can be filled toform a package in which the carton comprises a box-shaped main body 68,a hinged cover 60, which lies on the inturned lip 22, 40, and 46, whichin turn lie in sealing contact with the under surface of the cover 70along the front and end edges of the box-shaped main body 68. When thecarton of this character, especially if the tear-out tabs 31 areprovided as described, is filled with ice cream or like, frozen,normally liquid or semi-liquid solid material, a markedly improvedleak-proof package is obtained. Even when the inturned flaps 46 on therear end-wall-forming flaps 32 are omitted, the package is stillsubstantially more leak-proof than the disclosed in my copendingapplication Ser. No. 158,167, filed June 10, 1980, and my U.S. Pat. No.4,239,115, issued on the parent thereof on Dec. 16, 1980.

Another advantage obtained from the use of the tear-out tab 31 is thatit imparts greater rigidity to the rear corners of the container just asthe glue-flaps 28 impart greater rigidity to the front corners of thecontainer. Thus, when the tear-out tab 31 is used, the carton to beformed when one end is closed has improved rigidity and stabilityagainst the possible collapse of the rear wall of the carton tube.

It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to theexact details of construction, operation, or exact materials orembodiments shown and described, at various modifications andequivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and theinvention is therefore to be limited only by the full scope of theappended claims.

I claim:
 1. In a filled package comprising a completely closed,rectangular carton made from the single unitary sheet of carton stockhaving cut portions and fold lines defining a front panel, a bottompanel, a rear panel, a cover panel, and a front cover flap which arearticulated one to the other in the order named; said front cover flaphaving a skirt portion overlying said front panel but not adheredthereto and a sealing portion sealed to said front panel to form saidpanels into a carton having a rectangular transverse cross section; saidfront and rear panels having front and rear .[.inner.]. end-wall-formingflaps articulated thereto by fold lines and being folded in, .[.to forminner endwalls,.]. and said bottom panel having .[.outer.].endwall-forming flaps articulated to the sides thereof by fold lines andbeing bent up .[.to a position to overlie the inner-wall-formingflaps.]. .Iadd.and the end wall forming flaps are facially disposed andadhesively interconnected and form endwalls; .Iaddend.said cover panelhaving side cover flaps articulated to the side edges thereof by foldlines and folded down to overlie said endwall; said front cover flapskirt portion having glue-tabs articulated to the side edges thereof byfold lines, which tabs are glued to said side cover flaps to form, withsaid cover panel, a skirted cover hinged to said rear panel; theimprovement in which said end walls have inturned end lips which arearticulated thereto by lip-flap fold lines and which underlie andcontact the underside of the cover panel at least along the free edgesof each lip, but without being adhered thereto and,the front panel has afront lip which is articulated thereto by a panel-lip fold line and isin a position such that it underlies the underside of the cover paneland contacts the same at least along its free edge, but without beingadhered thereto; said lips having complementary shaped adjacent ends andbeing of such width that the inner edges of the end lips meet the inneredges of the front lip in right angle corners and provide a U-shapedline of contact between the edges of said lips and the under surface ofsaid cover panel.
 2. A package according to claim 1, in which the endlips extend substantially all the way across the closed ends.
 3. Apackage according to claim 1, in which each of the end walls of saidcarton is formed from rear, front, and bottom end-wall-forming flaps;and front and rear end-wall-forming flaps forming rectangular inner endwalls that determine the shape of the ends of said carton, said frontend-wall-forming flaps having said end lips inturned from the top edgesthereof and said front wall having said front lip inturned from the topedge of said front wall to underlie the cover panel.
 4. A packageaccording to claim 3, in which each of said rear end-wall-forming flapshas its top edge cut down a distance at least equal to the thickness ofsaid carton stock and a length sufficient to accommodate the end lipwhich overlies it, whereby relative lateral movement of said innerend-wall-forming flaps before or during filling of the package isprevented.
 5. A package according to claim 3, in which each of said rearend-wall-forming flaps has a complementary lip which forms an extensionof the inturned lip on the complementary, front end-wall-forming flap,and in which the complementary and end lips on the complementary frontand rear end-wall-forming flaps have complementary cut ends which abutin the closed ends.
 6. A package according to claim 3, in which saidfront lip is square cut on lines displaced inwardly of the fold lines ofthe front end-wall-forming flaps a distance substantially equal to thethickness of the carton stock and the end lips are square cut outwardlyof the same fold lines a distance substantially equal to the effectivewidth of said front lip.
 7. A package according to claim 6, in which thefold line of said front lip is displaced below said cover panel so thatsaid front lip has a small rise from its fold line to its edge and inwhich the length and width thereof is such that the ends of said frontlip substantially abut the front end-wall-forming flaps and the inneredge thereof is substantially coincident with the inner edges of saidend lips.
 8. A package according to claim 1, in which said front lip isarticulated to said front wall on a skip-cut fold line aligned in thegrain of the carton stock, and in which the parts of said skip-cut foldline between the cut portions thereof are press scored, and in whicheach said end lip is articulated to the top edge of said frontend-wall-forming flap on a semi-cut-scored fold line aligned in thegrain of the carton stock.
 9. A package according to claim 3 in whichsaid cover comprises end-cover flaps each having a tuck-in tab adaptedto underlie the corresponding bottom end-wall-forming flap and atear-out tab formed by a tear-line as a lateral extension of saidtuck-in tab adjacent the hinged end of said cover, said tear-out tabbeing adhered to the portion of the bottom end-wall-forming flap thatoverlies it.
 10. A package according to claim 9 in which said tear-outtab is connected to said end cover flap by a tear line which, iscoincident with the top edge of the bottom end-wall-forming flap.
 11. Apackage according to claim in which said tear line is formed as askip-cut of half-cut line having a cut at the end thereof at the end ofthe cover flap and an intact portion at the other end thereof, saidintact portion forming a bridge between the tear-out tab and the tuck-intab.
 12. In a carton blank comprising a single sheet of carton stockhaving cut portions and fold lines defining a front panel, a bottompanel, a rear panel, a cover panel, and a front cover sealing flap; saidpanels being articulated one to the other in the order named, said frontcover sealing flap being articulated to said cover panel by a fold line,and said front cover sealing flap being adapted to overlie said frontpanels and to be sealed thereto to form said panels into a tube having arectangular transverse cross section in opened up position and into acollapsed parallelogram in the folded position; said front and rearpanels having laterally-protecting front and rear .[.inner.].end-wall-forming flaps articulated thereto by fold lines; said bottompanel having laterally-projecting .[.outer.]. end-wall-forming flapsarticulated to the side edges thereof by fold lines and adapted to bebent up to a position .[.to overlie.]., in the erected carton,.Iadd.facially disposed relative to .Iaddend.the .[.inner.].end-wall-forming flaps .Iadd.of said front and rear panels;.Iaddend.said cover panel having laterally-extending side cover flapsarticulated to the side edges thereof by fold lines, which side coverflaps are adapted to overlie the .[.inner.]. end-wall-forming flaps inthe erected carton; and the front cover flap having glue-flap extensionsarticulated to the side edges thereof by fold lines which extensions areadapted to be glued to said side cover flaps in the erected carton, toform, with said cover panel, a cover hinged to said rear panel andadapted to overlie the front panel and sides in the erected carton; theimprovement in which the front end-wall-forming flaps have end lipsarticulated thereto by lip-flap fold lines in a position such that, inthe erected carton, the inturned end lips underlie and contact theunderside of the cover panel at least along the free edge of saidlips;the front panel has a front lip articulated thereto by a panel-lipfold line which is substantially coincident with said lip-flap lines andwhich is in a position such that, in the erected carton, the front lipunderlies the underside of the cover panel and contacts the same atleast along its free edge; said lips having complementary shapedadjacent ends and being of such width that, in the erected carton, theinner edges of end lips meet the inner edge of the front lip in rightangle corners, and in which said front and rear end-wall-forming flapstogether form, in the erected carton, rectangular .[.inner.]. endwallsthat complete fill and determine the shape of the ends of the erectedcarton, and in which the cover panel side cover flaps each have atuck-in tab adapted, in the erected carton, to .[.underlie.]. .Iadd.restagainst .Iaddend.the corresponding bottom end-wall-forming flap and atear-out tab formed by a tear line as a lateral extension of saidtuck-in tab adjacent the hinged end of said cover, said tear-out tabbeing adapted to be adhered to the portion of the .[.bottom.].end-wall-forming flap that overlies it in the erected carton.
 13. Acarton blank of claim 12 in which said tear-out tab is connected to saidside cover flap by a tear line which, in the erected carton, iscoincident with the top edge of the bottom end-wall-forming flap.
 14. Acarton blank of claim 13 in which said tear-line is formed as a skip-cutor half-cut line having a cut at the end thereof at the end of the coverflap and an intact portion at the other end thereof, such intact portionforming a bridge between the tear-out tab and the tuck-in tab. .Iadd.15. A carton for ice cream or the like, comprising:(a) a rectilinearcarton body comprising cover, rear, bottom, front and front cover panelsinterconnected in the order named and at least a portion of said frontcover panel is adhesively secured to said front panel and said coverpanel is articulatable relative to said rear panel, each of said panelshas first and second sides; (b) an end wall forming flap extends fromeach of said rear, bottom and front panel sides, said end wall formingflaps are facially disposed and adhesively interconnected and form firstand second end walls; (c) a cover flap extends from said cover panelsides and each cover flap has a portion thereof releasably securedbetween the end wall forming flaps of an associated end wall; (d) meansoperably connect each side of said front cover panel with the adjacentcover flap; (e) end lips extend from each of said end walls, each endlip underlies and contacts the underside of said cover panel withoutbeing adhesively secured thereto; (f) a front lip extends from saidfront panel and underlies and contacts the underside of said cover panelwithout being adhesively secured thereto; and, (g) said lips havecooperatively shaped adjacent end portions so that an end portion of onelip abuts an end portion of an adjacent lip and thereby providesextended surface-to-surface contact with said cover panel. .Iaddend..Iadd.16. The carton of claim 15, wherein: (a) said lips lying on acommon plane. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. The carton of claim 15, wherein: (a)said interconnecting means including a glue tab extending from each sideof said front cover panel; and, (b) said front cover panel portionincludes a tear strip. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. The carton of claim 15,wherein: (a) said front lip extends substantially the length of saidfront panel; and, (b) said end lips are carried by said front panel endwall forming flaps and extend substantially the length thereof..Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The carton of claim 15, wherein: (a) each cover flapportion is disposed between said bottom panel end wall forming flap andsaid rear panel end wall forming flap. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The carton ofclaim 18, wherein: (a) said lips extend from the associated panels acommon distance. .Iaddend.